Defrosting and cleaning unit



June 1955 c. B. GRUETER DEFROSTING AND CLEANING UNIT Filed Feb. 16, 1952 United States Patent DEFROSTING AND CLEANING UNIT Carroll B. Grueter, Belmont, Mass.

Application February 16, 1952, Serial No. 271,940

1 Claim. (Cl. 15-314) My present invention relates generally to refrigeration, and more particularly to an apparatus which is especially designed to remove ice, dirt, and other foreign matter from soda fountains, ice cream cabinets, deep-freeze units, and the like.

It is well known that accumulations of ice, frost, and dirt in refrigerated compartments act as heat-insulating mediums which, if not removed, tend to impair the efi'iciency of the cooling unit. And as such compartments are generally not provided with drains nor the like outlets, the defrosting and cleaning of the same has heretofore proved a difiicult and extensive operation.

Previously, various methods have been used to defrost and clean such ice cream cabinets, soda fountains, and deep-freeze units, but none of these has been satisfactory, as each presented a difierent and important difliculty. One of these prior methods included scraping off the ice with a knife or chisel but this procedure was ineffective since it could not remove all of the ice and dirt and the receptacles were often damaged by the scraping tool.

A second method employed for this operation consisted in applying hot water to the refrigerated containers by means of towels or pitchers, but this necessitated the subsequent slow and tedious removal of the water from the bottom of such containers. And, of course, the most common practice in this connection has been to shut off the current to the cooling unit, thus allowing the ice to melt naturally, but this method requires excessive time, often causes damage to the goods which have to be removed during such defrosting, and necessitates the annoyance of a final mopping up.

A prime object of my invention, therefore, is to obviate the difiiculties above briefly outlined by providing a simple, handy, and efiicient unit which can effect the defrosting and cleaning of all types of refrigerated cabinets and soda fountains in a few minutes time and without shutting off the cooling unit.

Another important object of my invention resides in the provision of interchangeable defrosting and suctioning means which may readily be attached and detached on my unit so that these operations may be quickly and successively performed.

A further main object of my invention pertains to the special construction of a novel suction unit which is particularly designed so that it may be used as a scraping tool when desired and may also be positioned securely on the bottom of the objective receptacle with the suctioning portion slightly raised therefrom. Thus, it will not become unduly clogged but will function to a maximum degree of eificiency.

Still further objects of my invention relate to the simplicity of the unit, its inexpensive cost, the fact that there are no moving parts associated therewith, the fact that it operates on normal water pressure, and its highly satisfactory performance.

In carrying out my invention, I have devised a form of apparatus which may readily be applied to the usual water- 2,710,984 Patented June 21, 1955 faucet or tap projecting above the customary sink or drain.

The apparatus consists in a syphon pump which is coupled to the faucet, the pump being formed with an operating valve therein and connected to one end of a length of hose, the other end of which is adapted to be coupled interchangeably either to a commercial spray nozzle or to my novel suction unit, depending upon whether the defrosting or solution-removing operation is to be performed. This functional change is automatically effected by the closing and opening of the operating valve, the former of which forces the water to flow thru the hose into the spray nozzle and thence to be sprayed under pressure onto the ice and dirt, causing the same to accumulate in soluble form in the bottom of the receptacle, and the latter of which allows the water to flow into the sink, thereby initiating a syphoning action from the accumulated solution thru the suction unit and hose and thence into the sink.

The operations can be performed in a very short space of time and so effectively and completely that whatever residue of water remains can be removed with one wipe of a towel. Thus, my invention provides a simple, efficient, and expedient unit with which to perform the heretofore difficult and time-consuming task of defrosting and cleaning soda fountains and other refrigerated receptacles,

and clearly constitutes a distinct and useful improvement in this art. I

Further objects, features, and details of construction will be hereinafter more fully pointed out in the accompanying description and more clearly defined in the appended claim.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein I show a preferred embodiment of my invention:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of my apparatus assembled in position for attachment to the usual sink faucet;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing my novel suction unit, and

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic perspective view on a reduced scale of my apparatus showing the suction unit positioned on the bottom of a receptacle.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view showing a spray nozzle attachment interchangeable with the suction unit when a direct spraying and washing action is desired.

In the drawings, my apparatus is characterized by a standard syphon pump element ltl fitted on its top portion with a threaded coupling 11 adapted for engagement with the threaded end of a commercial faucet or tap 12 which projects from the top of a sink (not shown).

In cases where the faucet fixture has a smooth and unthreaded spout portion, I may provide any suitable adapterwhich may be secured to such spout and intowhich the coupling 11 may be fastened.

The lower portion of the element 10 is formed with a threaded stem 14 suitably arranged to cooperate with the internally threaded top of a valve member 315, the stem 14 coacting with a seat 16 in the member 35 so that rotation of such member 15 will control the opening and closing of the valve. Appropriately secured to a lateral extension on said element it) is one end of a length of hose 20, the other extremity of which is provided with a threaded coupling member 21 to engage, interchangeably, corresponding couplings 23 and 26 on a spray nozzle 22 and a suction unit 25, respectively. The hose 20 may be of any suitable material, such as rubber or plastic, and is preferably reinforced at each end thereof to protect the same from undue wear during repeated coupling operations.

My novel suction unit 25 is particularly designed and constructed for use in connection with the cleaning and defrosting of soda fountains and other refrigerated units and is composed. of two. distinct parts-a supporting and scraping element, and a suction element.

I prefer to cast or otherwise form the supporting and scraping member out of any relatively heavy material such as. cast-iron, so that the same may. rest securely on the bottom of any receptacle being serviced. l have made this member of u-shaped design with a fiat top 27 having a central opening, 28 therethru, and solid depending.

sides or legs 3039 appropriately tapered on the inner portions thereof, as clearly shown in Fig. l, to provide a pair of efficient bottom scraping edges 31--3l.

It; should also be noted that I have arranged this supportingand scraping element substantially square in shape so that it maybe conveniently gripped and manipulated by the hand of? the user during the suctioning operation.

My suction element may be of any desired form, such ashere shown in Fig. 2, comprising a central metal pipe 34.which is fitted thru the opening 28 and clinched loosely over the bottom inturned flange of the coupling 26, permitting rotation but preventing disengagement of the same. The lower circumference of the pipe 34 is preferably corrugated, as at 35, to assist in securing a rubber casing 36, the top of which is disposed against the under surface of the flat top 27 and the base of which extends a predetermined length below the pipe 34 and is bound by a reinforcing metal ferrule 37.

It is important that the base of this suction element be disposed in a slightly higher plane than the base of the legs 3030, so that when the unit 25 is in operative position on the base of the objective receptacle, the lower edge of the ferrule 37 will be suitably removed from such base to insure the most efiicient suctioning results.

It will be. apparent that my novel suction unit 25 is a compact and particularly practicable device which can be quickly attached to and detached from the connecting hose 20, and readily adapted for manual manipulation over the bottom surface of any refrigerated container, combining simultaneously the suctioning operation and the scraping off of such surface of any foreign matter that may have accumulated thereon, thus forcing the same into solution where it can be syphoned off and removed.

My unit is especially simple in construction but the several details of its design have extensive utility and each hasv its own distinct function.

In utilizing my apparatus for the purpose herein set forth, the contents of the refrigerated cabinet to be defrosted, such as 40, are first removed and the unit appropriately prepared by attaching the spray nozzle 22 to the hose 20, which, in turn, is permanently connected to the pump, assembly. The pump coupling 11 is then secured to the faucet 12, the valve 16 closed by the rotation of the member 15 to the right, and the hot water turned on. 'I'hereupon the water flowsthru the pump 10 and hose 20 and into the nozzle 22, where it is readily sprayed on the sides of the cabinet 40 until all of the ice is melted and the dirt and foreign matter or sludge brought into solution. The hot water is now shut off, the nozzle 22 withdrawn from the cabinet 40 and replaced by the suction unit 25 which is placed on the cabinet bottom 41.

The member 15 is next rotated to the left, thus releasing the valve 16 from the stem 14 and the unit is set up for the siphoning operation. The water is then turned on full force, which automatically starts the siphoning action with the solution being drawn up thru the pipe 34, hose 20, and pump 10, then thru the member 15 and into the disposal sink. During this suctioning process, the scraping unit may be manually maneuvered about the cabinet bottom 41 with the edges 3131 scraping the entire surface so that when the liquid is substantially removed, such surface will be relatively free from dirt and sludge.

At this point, the water is shut off, the apparatus removed, and the cabinet quickly dried with a clean cloth.

As this entire operation requires but a few minutes to complete, the refrigerated contents may be replaced without the danger of their having melted, and as the cooling unit has not been detached, the cabinet will.

revert to its former temperature very shortly. This is an added feature effected by my invention and saves electricity, time, and labor.

From the foregoing, therefore, it will be seen that I have devised a highly efficient and extremely practicable apparatus for defrosting and cleaning soda fountains, ice

cream cabinets, deep-freeze units, and the like, which is of simple construction, reasonable cost, and requires little skill to operate.

I claim:

A defrosting and cleaning apparatus for refrigerated receptacles of the kind described, comprising a combined. rigid scraping member and a cooperating suction element, said scraping member being formed as an inverted rectangular open-sided U-shaped member With tapered depending sides to constitute a pair of oppositely positioned scraping bottom edges spaced from each other,.

said member having: a central opening thru the connecting part of the U, and a depending conduit supported therefrom and spaced centrally from the U-shaped sides,

with the lowermost open end of the conduit held, slightly above the plane of. the said scraping sides, in combination with means to connect said conduit thru said central opening to. said suction element, thereby allowing movement of the scraping element over the bottom of the receptacle; while the; suction element is in operation to simultaneously remove material in the receptacle loosened by the scraper.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,081,597 Nowak May 25, 1937 2,173,932 Buckley Sept. 26, 1939 2,481,760: Leher Sept. 13, 1949 2,631,326 Smith Mar. 17, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 618,241 Great Britain Feb. 18, 1949 634,674 Great Britain Mar. 22, 1950 

